Migrants in Libya facing abduction and abuse: IOM chief

The Director-General of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), Amy Pope, has said that among North African countries, migrants in Libya face the most horrific conditions. They are being abducted and tortured by traffickers and militias.

She stated that most of the migrants who have died in the Mediterranean Sea began their journey from Libya. “The sea route is extremely dangerous. Even those who have not yet set out remain at risk,” she said.

In an interview with the French news agency AFP in Morocco’s capital, Rabat, Pope said, “We frequently hear from migrants that they have been kidnapped, held for ransom, and subjected to abuse and violence.”

“I have personally heard from many migrants who were detained by armed groups and tortured for ransom,” she added.

Due to the European Union’s strict migration control policies, many migrants are now stranded in Libya. According to Libyan authorities, the number of irregular migrants in the country reached up to four million as of July this year.

Pope described Libya as an extremely dangerous and uncertain place for migrants under the control of human traffickers. Many of these migrants also come from various Asian countries.

“Among North African countries, Libya is where migrants face the harshest conditions,” she reiterated.

She noted that the plight of migrants trapped in Libya is not new, but the situation has worsened since the outbreak of war in Sudan in 2023. The conflict between Sudan’s army and paramilitary forces has displaced hundreds of thousands of people.

According to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), between April 2023—when the conflict began—and August this year, about 357,000 Sudanese refugees have sought shelter in Libya.

“We are deeply concerned about crises like the war in Sudan, which are displacing vast numbers of people,” Pope said.

She also mentioned that declining UN funding has made it increasingly difficult to provide humanitarian assistance to migrants. “Funding for essential aid and services has dropped significantly,” she said.

Pope added that, alongside Libya, Tunisia remains another key migration route. However, following a €290 million EU deal in 2023, crossings from Tunisia have somewhat decreased. Still, thousands of migrants—especially from sub-Saharan Africa—remain stranded there.

Earlier this year, Tunisian President Kais Saied requested the IOM to facilitate the voluntary repatriation of irregular migrants to their home countries.